Tie-nipper.



E W. HOOVER & J. A, COLEMAN,

TIE NIPPER. APPLIUATION FILED 001225, 1912.

Patentdd Dec; 24, 1912.

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE. f I

EDGAR w. HOOVER AND JOHN A. COLEMAN, or DANVILLE, KENTUCKY.

. TIE-NIPPER.

Application filed October 25 1912. Serial No. 727,755.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Toall whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, EDGAR W. Hoover and JOHN A. COLEMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Danville, in. the county of 'Boyle and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tie-Nippers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tie holding device, and the object of the invention is to hold the tie firmly against the rails while driving spikes.

With these objects in view the invention consists of the novel features of construction hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying I drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the device in position for use. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line &"4: of Fig. 1.

In these drawings '1 represents the ties, and 2 the track rail.

Our device comprises a plate 3 upon the under face of which is arranged a leaf spring 4, of greater length than the plate, and designed to take-up the jar in driving the spikes. The plate has depending lugs 5 which fit over the sides of the rail and prevent lateral movement of the plate. 'The plate also carries a vertical bracket 6 in which is pivoted an operating lever 7. Pivotally connected to the one end of the lever are two shoes 8, spaced apart and which eX- tend downwardly upon opposite sides of the rail and are then angled to extend under the tie, the extreme lower ends of the shoes being provided with spurs 9 adapted to bite into the under side of the tie. The shoes are also pivotally connected to the sides of the plate by means of suitable links 10. p A pawl 11 is carried by the upper end of the bracket 6, and engages a suitable notched portion of V the operating lever.

In use the device is placed upon the rail as shown in Fig. 1, the shoes are slipped be neath the tie and the lever 7 forced downwardly thus raising the shoes 8 and clamp ing the ties firmly against the under side of the rail, in which position it is held by the pawl 11. e The device can be quickly shifted from one tie to another, and would not only expedite the work of spiking the rails in position but preventing any downward movement of the tielrelative to the rail will permit the rail to be secured more firmly to the tie than when such downward movement is pos-. sible.

' What we claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, comprising a plate adapted to fit "the tread of a rail, depending lugs carried by opposite ends of the plate, a vertically arranged bracket carried by the plate, an operating lever pivoted in said bracket, shoes pivotally'connected to said lever and extending downwardly upon opposite sides of the rail and angled to extend under the tie, said lever having a notched portion, a pawl pivotally connected to said bracket and adapted to engage said lever.

2, In a device of the kind described, com prising a plate adapted to fit upon the tread of a rail, a leaf spring secured to the under side of said plate and having a greater length than the plate, means for preventing lateral movement of the plate, a bracket carried by the plate, and operating lever pivoted in said bracket, means for locking said lever in position, depending shoes adapted to eX- tend upon opposite sides of the rail and also to extend beneath the tie, said shoes being pivotally connected to the short end of said lever and links pivotally connected to said plate and to sald shoes.

EDGAR W. HOOVER. JOHN A. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

WHELAN O. VAN BELT, EDU RD M. Run.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

